Condenser system for rail cars



March 24, 1931. G. w. EINGSTROM CONDENSER SYSTEM FOR RAIL CARS FiledApril 6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l mM E mwww 0 an a CONDENSER SYSTEM FORRAIL CARS Filed April 6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 24%, 193331. e. w.ENGSTROM. LYQZQW CONDENSER SYSTEM FOR RAIL CARS Filed April 6, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 3 March 1931- G. w. ENGSTRCM CONDENSER SYSTEM FOR RAIL CARSFiled April 6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 o o o o o o o o o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 05 mowowowowowowowowo m o omo o o owo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oo o o o o o o o J I I Patented, Mam 1931 ITED STA,

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GUSTAF 'ENGSTBOM, OI RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 INTERNATIONALHAR- VESTER COMPANY, A. CORIORATION 015 NEW JERSEY oonnnnsna SYSTEM r03r:

in: cm A Application filed. April e, 1928. Serial no. 267,952.

The invention relates to self-propelled, steam-driven railway carsadapted, primarily, to be used asindependent units. In a car of thistype it is highly desirable to condense the steam exhausted from theengine by which the car is propelled and re-use it,

thusavoiding the necessity of either carry-- ing a large quantity ofsupplywater or of stopping at frequent intervals for the re? plenishmentof the supply. Using again the water condensed .from the steam exhaustedity as needtherefor arises.

by the engineis not only an advantage in that-it obviates the necessityof carrying a' large supply and stopping frequently to re- 1 pleni'shit, but it also has the advantage of avoiding the precipitation of thesolids in the additional amount of water otherwise required thatdeposits on the heating surfaces of the steam generator thus reducingits evaporating efficiency. ome of these solids are carried into anddeposited onthe walls of the engine valves and cylinders, having adeleterious effecton the lubrication. Using this water over againpermits its injection into the steam generator at a high degree oftemperature, thus adding efficiency in avoiding the expenditure of heatto vraise it from a lower degree: This requires the use of efi'ectivecondensers for the steam; vand, as

. '30 water for condensing purposes is not available, and it isimpracticable to carry a sulficient quantity for this purpose, it isdesirable that the condensers be air-cooled.

It is the principal-object of the presentinvention to provide a simpleand effective'condensing system for the exhaust steam of the drivingengine ofsuch a car which will be effectively air-cooled-at a minimumexpendi-' lure-of power; which will not/occupy space which wouldotherwise be available for other purposes; which will add but little'tothe weight of the car, relatively; and which will be of sufiicientcapacity to ,carry any burden which may be ut upon it and at thesametime be so flexi le or adjustable that it may be readily expanded orcontracted in capaca The improved condensin system vcom prises 1n efiecttwo indepen ent condensers located at the'respective opposite ends ofthe car at the top thereof, so designed and mounted with respect to thebody of the, car as to-be cooled in part by air currents provided by themotionof the car. The con- (lensing system also comprises a heating coilso connected to the system that the exhaust steam may be used to agreater or less extent as desired for maintaining the temperature of thecar. Otherfeatures ofthe invention will appear from the detaileddescription hereinafter contained, the a exed drawings constituting apart of this specification, and the claims. a o

In the drawing and the following specification, there has'been describeda preferred embodiment of the invention. It .is to be understood,however, that the specific dis- Figure 1 is a, side elevation of a steamdriven railroad car embodying the invention; v

. Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical, sectional" view taken on line 22offFigure 1?;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlargedtop plan view of the right hand end of the car ofFigure 1';

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Figure- 5; and

Figure 7 isa fragmenta-l plan view of the right hand end of thecondenser of Figure 5.

The invention is applied to a so-called day coach adapted to carrypassengers and also having a compartment for baggage; however,

'it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such acoach construction, but may be employed in a variety of cars, forexample,

- freight-cars, which are used for the hauling of freight only, orbaggage cars, express cars, locomotive service, or the like. Referringto the drawings,-the numerall' designates the body of the car which isof the so-called double-end construction, thus beingcapable of travelingin both directions without turning of the car. The body is mounted onthe ordinary car trucks and the car, as a whole, is adapted to bepropelled by two steam en'- gines 2 and 3, which may beof anydesiredtype and horse power. These engines are suspended beneath the body ofthe car and are connected tothe axles of the. car trucks throughpropeller shafts 4, the shafts 4: being provided with universalcouplings 5 and 6 to accommodate truck movement and spring mo- (shown indotted lines in Figure 1). This boiler may be of any desiredconstruction, but I prefer to use a boiler which is of the soealledflash type adapted to generate and superheat the steam in a minimum timeand deliver the same therefrom to the engines under high pressure. Ialso prefer, although it is not necessary, to use a boiler which isautomatically controlled as far as possible, decreasing cost ofoperation and increasing efiiciency, and adding to the safety of thepassengers. The fuel employed for heating purposes may be of any desiredkind, the feed of which is controlled by a motor and blower arrangement8 (not shown in detail, but indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1) 4 Thewater supplied to the boiler 7 for the generation of steam may be takenfrom the -hot-"well9, being fed to the boiler automatically by asuitable feed water pump (not shown). The arrangement may be such that,when starting up, the feed well 9 is supplied with water to a desiredheight from a tank or other suitable source, the water being suppliedfrom such source thereafter only as the system as a whole needsreplenishment, since, as will be described hereinafter, the inventionprovides for the condensing of the steam exhausted from the engines 2and 3 so of the product of condensation back to the hot that the watermay be used over and over again. Or, if desired,the water may besupplied directly to theboiler 7 from a suitable source when startingup, such source of suppl being cut oif after enough water is suppliedforthe operation of the system, after which the feed water pump suppliesthe boiler with water from the hot well 9. In this latter arrangementthe main source of water may be cut in automatically, or otherwise, toreplenish the system as a whole when necessary.

Steam is supplied from the boiler to the engine 2 by a pipe 10 and tothe engine 3 by a branch pipe 10. The engine 3 exhausts its' steam intoa pipe 11, the engine.2 exhausting into the same pipe through a branchconnection 11. The pipe 11 leads to a main header 'ceive the condensers.

pipe 12 located at the top of the car and leading to the condenser unitsat both ends of the car, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The head er pipe12 has valves 13 and 14 mounted therein to permit of'cutting out of thecondenser units, at either or both ends of the car, as desired. 1 l

The central portion of the car roof may be of the usual curved form,but, at the ends, the roof is substantially flat and lower than thecentral portion, to provide pockets 15 to re At the ends of therespective pockets the curve of the roof may be reproduced in archesforming tunnels 16, 17 for conducting air to the respective pockets.

The sides of the cutout portions are walled up to a desired height byside walls 15, as

shown in Figures 1 and 2. Each of these pockets thus has an end openingand a top opening. The ends of the tunnels are covered with fine meshscreens 18 and 19, respec tively, to readily permit the passage of airtherethrough while preventing the passage of stones, cinders, etc. a

Ineach of the pockets 15 there are mounted a plurality of similarcondenser sections 20. These sections are arranged in pairs 20 20 20 2020, 20 ,20 and 20 (Figures 1 and 4) each section being connected at itsupper, inner end to the common header pipe 12 by branch pipes 21 (Figure4) The condensers of each pair, respectively, slope downwardly inopposite directions awayfrom the common header pipe 12 to present aninverted V-shaped formation, as shown in Figure 2. The pairs ofcondenser sections, at

each end, are arranged side by side in, and

form a roof or enclosure for the pocket.

There are preferably employed four pairs of condenser sections at eachend. The header pipe 12 carries the inner ends of the condensers, asshown in Figure 2, and is supported by one or more brackets 22, and theouter, lower ends'of the condensers are supported by suitable supportsor brackets 23 suitably attached to the condenser sections 20 (as at 23,Fig

ure 5) and walls 15. The angular position of the condenser'sections'provides for drainage well 9, as will be referred to morefully hereinafter.

Each condenser section is of the same construction and, hence, only onewill be described.

As shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, each section is formed of end headers27, 28, between which extend the tubes 25. If desired, and as preferred,relatively short tubes 25 are provided and eonnecte to an intermediatehead er 26 (see Figure 5) The intermediate header is formed of twosections bolted together at 26 The headers 28 ofthe respective sectionsare connected to the header pipe 12 by the branch pipe 21, to whichreference has been made, and the opposite and lower ends of the sectionsare connected to drain pipes 29 by branch pipes 29 opening into headers27 To provide for the cutting in or out of any desired number of thepairs of condensers, valves 31, 32 and 33 (see Figures 2 and 3) arelocated in the header pipe 12 between the adjacent pairs of condensers.As already stated, upon the closing of valve 14, all of the condensersat that end of the car may be cut out; and the closing of the valve 31will cut out the condenser pairs 201, 20 and 20*; and the closing ofvalve 33 will cut out only the condenser pair 20. Thus, any desirednumber of condensersat either or both ends of the car may be cut in orcut out to provide a greater or lesser heat radiation surface orcondensing area. The drain pipes 29 connected to the outer, lower endsof the condenser sections are connected by pipes 29 and 29 (Figure' 1)to the hot well 9 so that the condensate from the condensers is returnedto the latter for re-use in the steam generator.

Assuming that the car is traveling in the direction shown by the arrowin Figure 1, it is obvious that the movement of the car creates a draftthrough the screen 19 and pocket 15 at that end of the car which is inadvance, the air passing through the screen, the tunnel, and up throughand pastthe condensers, thereby cooling them.

In order to insure the required air circula tion when the car is at restand to boost the draft set up by the traveling car, there is mounted aplurality of fans 34 in the tunnels l6 and 17. The number of fans.employed may be varied as well as their speed of rotation, to vary theforced draft conditions as desired. The fans 34 are driven by electricmotors 34, the motor arrangement being such that the fans at theopposite ends revolve to force the air in the same direction. Thus, thefans 34 at the then front end of the car rotate in a direction to drivethe air into the pocket 15 and up through the condensers; while the fansat the then rear end operate to draw air down through the condensers atthat end, through the pocket 15 and expel the same through the screen18. Upon reversal of direction of movement of the car, suitable means(not shown) are provided for reversing the direction of rotation of thefans, thus providing for the same efiective condensing operationregardless of the direction of movement of the car.

The bottoms of the pockets 15 are provided with a plurality of wells 35so located that rain water, from snow and the like, which may enter thepockets, will find its way thereto and be drained through the pipes Thecar is provided with heating coils 37,

(see dotted lines, Figure l), which may be supplied with exhaust steamfrom the header pipe 12 by means of pipes 38, shown in dotted lines. Thecoils 37 are connected to the hot well 9, as at 39 (Figure 1), so thatthe water of condensation from said coils may be returned to the steamgenerator.

Air catchers in the form of shields 40 are provided, as shown in Figure1, to catch and direct the air derived from the motion of the car intothe condenser sections. When the car is moving in the directionindicated by the arrow in Figure 1, the front shields 40 are inactive,and the necessary air can be caught through the screen 19. But, with thecar moving in the direction stated, the rear screen 18 will catch noair. Thus, the rear shields 40 are faced in a manner to catch thenecessary air and deflect it downwardly through the rear condensers.

From the foregoing description, the operation will be apparent. Thesteam from the generator 7 is conveyed to theengine and, afterperforming its work therein, is di tributed to the condensers at therespective ends of the car or to so many of the sections thereof as areopen to the header pipe 12. l/Vhen it is desired to heat the car, asuitable amount of the steam is diverted to the heating coil 37, asheretofore explained. The

steam is condensed in the condensers, or in the condensers and heatingcoil, as the case may be, and the water of condensation returned to thehot well from which it is again pumped to the generator, as aboveexplained. It being desirable; for obvious reasons, that the water bereturn-ed to the hot well at as high a temperature as possible, only somany condenser sections are open to the distributing header pipe 152 asare necessary, under the conditions prevailing, to effect substantiallycomplete condensation of the steam. When and if the draft caused by themotion of the car is insuflicient to produce the required condensation,and also when the car is at rest but condensation is required to bemaintained, the draft fans are put into operation, and when the car isin motion, as previously explained, the fans are so rotated as tore-enforce the effect of the movement of the car. Thus the condensingsystem may be so controlled as to condense substantially all of thesteam from the exhaust of the engine without reducing its temperaturefar below the boiling point, so that comparatively little heat isrequired to again bring it up to the boiling point. The heating of thecar is, of course, effectedwithout substantialexpense. Any loss of watercan be made up from a suitable supply tank carried by the car. v V

WVhat is claimed is: Y 1. In a carof the class described, adapted to bedriven in opposite directions, a steam engine for driving the car, agenerator for supplying steam to the engine, condensers so arranged attherespective opposite ends of the car as to becool'e'd by the contactof outside air therewith due to themoveme'nt of the car, pipes connectedto the exhaust of'the engine and to the upper ends of said condenspocketformed ers, and pipes connected to the lower ends of said condensers forreturning condensed steam to the steam generator.

2. A car of the class described, having pockets formed in the respectiveopposite ends of the roof thereof, air cooled condensers in saidpockets, a steam engine for driving the car, a generator for supplyingthe engine with steam, exhaust pipes for connecting the engine with thecondensers, and drain pipes connected to the lower ends of thecondensers for returning condensed steam to the generator. I

3. A car of the class described, having pockets formed in the respectiveopposite ends of the roof thereof, said pockets being open at the topand at the respective ends of the car, air cooled condensers extendingacross the tops of the respective pockets and forming air tunnels withthe bottoms thereof a steam engine for driving the car, a generator forsupplying said engine with steam, pipes connected to the exhaust of theengine and to said condensers, and return pipes connected to the lowerportions of said condensers for returning condensed steam to thegenerator.

4. A car of the class described, having a in the end of the top thereof,air-cooled condensers arranged to form a gable roof for the pocket, thespace enclosed by the condensers and the bottom of the pocket being openat the adjacent end of the car, a header communicating with the adjacentends of the condenser at the angle of the gable, a steam engine fordriving the car, a pipe connecting the exhaust of said steam engine withthe header, a pair of headers connected respectively with the condenserson opposite sides of the gable, a steam generator for supplying theengine with steam, and pipes connected to the last mentioned headers forreturning condensed steam to the generator.

5. A car of the class described, having a pocket formed in the topthereof adjacent an end of the car, series of condenser sectionsarranged 1n the pocket, a header connected to the uppermost ends of thecondenser sections, valves for cutting out one or more of the condensersections, a header connected to the lower ends of the condensersections, a steam engine for driving the car, a generator for supplyingthe connection connecting the first mentioned header to the exhaust ofthe steam engine, and a pipe for returningcondensate to the generator.

6. In a car of the class described, a steam engine for driving the car,condensing sections mounted on the car, a steam generator supplyingsteam-to the engine, a pipe connected to the exhaust of the engine,branches therefrom leading to the respective-condenser sections, valvesin said branches forcutting engine with steam, a pipe olf the respectivesections, and pipes for collecting and returning the water ofcondensation from said condenser sections to said generator.

7. A car of the class described, having pockets formed in the respectiveopposite ends of the roof thereof open to the draft of air caused by themovement of the car, air-cooled condensers in said pockets, a steamengine for driving the car, a generator for supplying the engine withsteam, pipes connecting the engine with the condensers, drain pipesconnected to the lower ends of the condensers for returning condensedsteam to the generator, and fans for directing currents of air on thecondensers.

S. A car of the class described, having pockets formed in the respectiveopposite ends of the roof thereof, tunnels leading to the respectivepockets from theends of the car, air-cooled condensers extending acrossthe tops of the respective pockets, fans for forcing air against saidcondensers, means for reversing the direction of rotation of the fans, asteam engine for driving the car, pipes connecting the exhaust of saidengine with said condensers, a generator for supplying said engine withsteam, and pipes connected to the lower portions of the condensers forreturning water of condensation to the generator.

9. In a power system, a steam engine, means for condensing the steamexhausted by said engine and returning the products of condensation tothe steam source, said con densing means comprising a draft. tunnel withforced draft means located adjacent one end thereof, a plurality ofcondensers covering the other end of said tunnel, said condensers beingarranged in opposed pairs in V-shaped formation, connected to acommonexhaust steam conduit and each condenser comprising an inlet header,cooling sections, means for rendering certain of said condensersinefiective without interfering with the others, an outlet header, and aconduit for carrying the products of condensation from said outletheader to the steam generating means.

10. In a power system, a steam engine, means for condensing the steamexhausted by said engine and returning the products of condensation tothe steam source, said means comprising a draft tunnel formed in theroof of the car and having a vertical opening through the roof of thecar and another opening arranged longitudinally of the car body andextending through the end of the car so that a normal draft of airpasses therethrough which is increased as the car moves along, forcedraft means located adjacent said longitudinal opening for increasingthe natural draft therethrough, a plution, each pair being connected toa common exhaust steam conduit and each condenser comprising an inletheader, a cooling section, an outlet header, means for rendering certainof said condensers ineffective Without interfering with the others, anda conduit for carrying the products of condensation from said outletheader to the steam generating source. 11. In a power system for cars, asteam engine, means for generating steam and suppyling the same to saidengine, and means for condensing the steam exhausted by said enginecomprising a main exhaust steam conduit connected to condensers arrangedin a natural draftpocket at each end of the car so that the forced draftat one end of the car will pass through said respective pocket andcondensers in one direction and a forced draft at the other end of thecar will pass through that respective pocket and condensers in anopposite direction.

12. In a double ended rail car adapted to travel in either direction, abody having a roof, an air catching tunnel in each end of the roof, asteam'generator in the body, a steam engine in the body, a set ofcondensers in each tunnel, and air catching shields for directing airthrough the sets of condensers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GUSTAF W. ENGSTROM.

